Majuro,
Me
eting

PRIVACYac

Marshall Islands

T MATERIAL REMOVED

SEPTEMBER 3, 1975
Participants:

dri-Kili
Distad Debrum
Tony DeBrum (Translater)
Harley Earwicker,

Dist.

Atty.

Carlton Howpe, H&N
Roger Ray, ERDA

Paul Gudiksen, LLL
Kristine Morris, ERDA
George Allen, MLSC
Reuben Zachius, MLSC
Joe Murphy, Micronesian Ind.
We were greeted by a long reception line of dri-Kili.
After shaking hands with
the entire village we went to the meeting room where a lunch of chicken, breadfruit and cake was served.
After lunch, everyone in the village gathered in the
meeting room.
Distad DeBrum was introduced.
An invocation was asked.
Distad
DeBrum opened the meeting with appreciative remarks about the dri-Kili hospitality
and introduced all of us.

people in the room.

He then asked for responses and questions from the

Following is the conversation of the meeting.
Comment:
is here.

It is not a verbatim report.

We are not in position to ask questions until we know why this group
Please tell us why you're here.

i: AS you know we were requested to leave our homeland and come here and we
have been waiting.
We consider this island a prison.
It was a joyous occasion
when we were told we could return - ~- - that our homeland is being prepared.
There is poison there.
But our request to the U. S. Government (to return to
Bikini) was finally honored.
We look forward to hearing what you have to say.
DeBrum:
I went to a meeting in California about the results of the June Survey.
The preliminary report recommends that if you choose to live on Bikini, you
should not eat breafruit or pandanus.
The interior of the island is not good
to build in.
A new Master Plan has to be written.
Now, I would like to introduce
Mr. Roger Ray from ERDA.
He will explain this in more detail.

Ray: Thank you for the very nice welcome.
Our main concern is to see you return
to Bikini as early as possible. When my government announced a few years ago that
Bikini was ready for resettlement, Bikini with restrictions and Enyu suggested

to be developed first, we promised to return and check it and make sure of its

safety.

We have had scientists visit Bikini and Dr. Conard visit people on Bikini.
After our visit last September to Bikini with Distad DeBrum, we were asked to
review the Master Plan and make any suggestions to him.
In January of this year

we met with Distad DeBrum and the planners in California and saw the new locations of the houses.

We felt we needed another extensive survey on Bikini.

also felt that now with large numbers of people going to return to Bikini, we
needed to study those foods eaten and grown on Bikini.

We

During June, scientists

visited Bikini and Enyu and took several measurements of radiation, samples of
ground soil, water, plants and small animals.

-13-

The samples are being analyzed now

- PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED

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